


To Protect and Cherish

by necromancy_enthusiast



Series: Necromancy's Custom MU Kaede [6]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fire Emblem: Fates Spoilers, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Nohr | Conquest Route, Protectiveness, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-13
Updated: 2017-04-13
Packaged: 2018-10-10 07:35:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10432449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/necromancy_enthusiast/pseuds/necromancy_enthusiast
Summary: Benny gets caught up in a nasty blast of magic and ends up in the medical tent, Kaede doesn't know how she'd handle losing him after so many others have sacrificed themselves for her





	

**Author's Note:**

> interactive fics is a browser extension you can use to change my avatar's name to yours, if you want

“What were you thinking?!” Kaede said as she sat beside Benny, who laid on a mat in the army's medical tent, covered in burn marks and gauze bandages as he waited his turn to be seen by a healer. Benny didn't really know what to say, so he just waited for her to continue. “You just stood right in front of a fire spell when you knew it was coming? You could have gotten killed!”

“Kaede...I'm fine.” Benny replied.

“...No, you're not! You're covered in second-degree burns! You're lucky the spell wasn't stronger, it could have ripped right through your armor! Or your armor could have melted, and then it would have fused with your skin!” Kaede pointed out. She was right, of course, and Benny knew it. Kaede sighed heavily to calm herself before continuing. “Just...Tell me why. You're always careful...Why now?” she asked.

“...That mage was aiming for you. There wasn't time to warn you, so...” Benny admitted.

“You...You threw yourself in the line of enemy fire, _literal fire_ might I add, so you could protect me?” Kaede asked.

“I promised I would protect you when I proposed to you.” Benny said.

“But...” Kaede's gaze broke from Benny's as she mumbled to herself, staring at the ground. “No...”

“No?...”

“No. No no no. You can't do that anymore.”

“Why?”

“Because I...” Kaede stuttered. “Because I don't want anyone else throwing their lives away to protect me ever again.”

“...Again?” Benny asked. Kaede sighed, finally looking at Benny.

“You...Know Queen Mikoto of Hoshido was my mother...” she started.

“I remember.”

“And you know how she...Was killed in an attack some months ago.”

“I heard something like that.” Benny replied. Kaede looked away momentarily, ringing her hands anxiously.

“Well, I was there. I was there when she died. It...It was my fault...”

“How could it possibly be your fault?”

“...The sword I was given...Someone took it and...I don't know how, but it was charged with magic and...It exploded. It destroyed the town square, so many people died. My mother...She threw herself in front of me when some of the shrapnel was coming my way...And she died. She died in my arms, Benny. She didn't even care that she was dying, she just asked if I was ok. I might as well have plunged that sword into her heart myself.”

“Kaede...”

“Takumi was right about me, Benny. I'm a traitor, a murderer. And no matter how much I want to, no matter how many other lives I save or spare, I can't take that back. That's...Part of why I went back to Nohr. At least I had some family I hadn't already betrayed or hurt. And that's why I can't let you put yourself in jeopardy for me like that. So please...Please...Don't throw your life away for me.” at this point, Kaede began to tear up as she occasionally shook, trying desperately to hold her sobs in. Slowly, Benny sat up and carefully wrapped his arms around his fiancee, stroking her back comfortingly.

“Kaede...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you. But I can't do as you ask.”

“But you-!”

“I promise I'll try to be more careful, but I can't just stand by when I know you'll get hurt. It's not in my nature.” he smiled melancholically. “I think your mother was the same.”

“My mother?...”

“She loved you, and if it meant you would be ok, whether she lived or died didn't matter to her. She didn't throw her life away, and I'm sure that's not how she thought of it, either.”

“Because she was too kind...Because you're too kind...I don't deserve either of you.”

“Love isn't something you earn, Kaede.”

“But...I've...” Kaede protested weakly, not knowing how to respond.

“There are so many people that would be sad to hear you talk about yourself like this. You can’t think every one of them is wrong.”

“I...No, I guess not, but...”

“It's ok. We can work on that together...Just know that a lot of people love you.” Benny smiled gently, ruffling her hair affectionately. She smiled back, tears still flowing freely down her cheeks.

“Benny...Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you.”

“You won't have to find out.” he promised.

**Author's Note:**

> I always felt like there had to be some reasoning Corrin took to choose whether to side with Hoshido or Nohr aside from 'I just went with this vague feeling' or 'I like these siblings best'. In Birthright, Corrin blames King Garron for the attack that killed their mother. They're easily swayed by their emotions and their sense of right and wrong. In Conquest, Corrin is a bit more level-headed. If anything, they blame themself for their mother's death. They see that there's more going on than meets the eye, and they go with Nohr because they feel they won't be able to find out the truth of the situation otherwise, and they'll hopefully be able to change Nohr from within so the war can be stopped. That's my take on it, anyway. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
